Boom: A supersonic, high-speed passenger jet now has a new engine design.
The Denver-based startup announced Tuesday that its next Overture jet will be powered by Symphony, a new propulsion system powered by Boom that is “engineered and optimized” for the aircraft.
According to Boom! It is working with three parties to bring the engine to life, including Florida Turbine Technologies, part of Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, to help with the design. The aircraft manufacturer also used StandardAero for maintenance and General Electric subsidiary GE Additive for metal additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, for consulting.
While FTT is not a well-known engine manufacturer like Rolls-Royce or Pratt and Whitney, the more than 20-year-old company has multi-million dollar contracts and has developed jet turbines for cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
“The FTT team has a decades-long history of developing innovative and efficient propulsion solutions,” said Stacey Rock, the company’s CEO, in a press release.
“We are proud to work with Boom and its Symphony partners and look forward to developing the first custom engine for sustainable and economical supersonic flight.”
New mid-bypass turbofan engine designed to run on 100% sustainable jet fuel, emit zero CO2, have 35,000 lbs. of thrust, be made of lightweight materials, and have 10% lower operating costs compared to other supersonic engines.
With the Symphony Project is already underway, and the newly redesigned Overture will go into production in 202.
Boom believes. Its first flight is scheduled for 2027, and type approval is expected by 2029.
Baby Boom
The company’s small XB-1 prototype, known as the “Baby Boom,” has already begun test flights in Colorado and aims to demonstrate “key technology for safe and efficient high-speed flight.”
The announcement comes just months after all major manufacturers stated that they would not assist Boom in developing an engine for the Overture, with Rolls-Royce stating that “the commercial supersonic market is not a priority for us at the moment.”
CFM International joined the trend in October when CEO Gal Méheust said the company “does not see a significant market for an engine that targets a very small potential niche.”
Despite the failure, Boom was able to realize its goal of acquiring an engine manufacturer before the end of the year, giving hope for commercial use of the aircraft.
Henry Harteveldt, travel analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider in September that building its own engine was a “huge challenge” for Boom.
“But if they manage to build the jet and the engine, they get their own aircraft and have a very unique intellectual property and business advantage because they’re not relying on a third-party engine manufacturer,” he explained.
Three airlines have invested in Boom so far, including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines, and United Airlines Ventures CEO Mike Leskinen welcomes the new venture.
“United and Boom share a passion to make the world significantly more accessible through sustainable supersonic travel,” he said in a press release. “The Boom team understands what we need to create an immersive experience for our passengers, and we look forward to it for United’s supersonic fleet, operated by Symphony.
Source: Business Insider
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